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UAE Health

From denial and fear to empowerment: an MS patient’s inspiring journey

MS warrior and host Muna Al Harbi shares her journey from diagnosis to acceptance



Video Credit: Anas Thacharpadikkal and Stefan Lindeque | Gulf News

It’s hard to know for sure how you would react if told you had a serious disease.

Denial perhaps. Maybe fear, anger, confusion, or sadness. For Muna Al Harbi – an Emirati mother with multiple sclerosis – it was all of this and more.

Her diagnosis was particularly dramatic and intense as it was during the birth of her second child.

Most people would remain trapped with dark images about their future. Yet the experience eventually turned into something truly positive for Muna and she now – almost unbelievably – considers MS “her friend”.

Podcast

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She not only learned how to deal with the disease but also has become a vocal and respected spokesperson, helping many other MS patients who had been previously suffering in silence.

On top of that, Muna established a successful business and found a new lease of life doing activities she’d never considered before. Today, she is a beacon of hope and shines a light on the path for other sufferers and their families to follow.

Her message: acceptance is the key to coping with the situation and you can (and must) adjust your mindset to the new reality.

Host and MS patient Muna Al Harbi (left) with son Hamdan and her sister Mariam
Image Credit: Stefan Lindeque/Gulf News

MS Talks - Keep Moving Forward is a videocast series on multiple sclerosis by Gulf News in partnership with Novartis. The first episode takes a frank and honest look at Muna’s journey and offers insights that only someone who has been in her shoes could convey.

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It also offers the perspective of some of those close to her - her son Hamdan and her sister Mariam - joining her on this life-changing experience.

Click here to learn more about the podcast series, MS Talks - Keep Moving Forward from Novartis and Gulf News

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